Poker Card Back Styles: From Classic to Custom Designs
Turn over a playing card and look at the back for a moment. A lot of thought and history went into that design, and while most players don’t give it a second glance, it could be hiding some surprising information.
Did the Back of a Poker Card Always Have Illustrations?
As discussed in our who invented poker cards guide, playing cards have been around for hundreds of years, originating in China before spreading across North Africa and Europe. Throughout much of that time, it was all about the fronts, which depicted many intricate designs and variations on the suits and royals. The backs were left untouched—blank, bare, and boring.
That began to change in the 19th century, with a series of intricately designed cards printed by De La Rue and designed by Owen Jones. Jones produced 173 designs, and while some card players dismissed these fancy new designs, many supported them. Before long, they became the norm.
Jones designed symmetrical patterns of flowers, fauna, and wildlife and colored and patterned borders. These designs inspired later creators and set the tone for everything that followed.
The Various Poker Card Back Styles
The average player doesn’t pay much attention to the back of a poker card, but collectors and serious players do. More importantly, designers put a lot of thought into this aspect of the card. There are different types of poker card designs as a result:
Common Card Backs
Standard poker cards use colored geometric designs, usually in black or red. These basic designs are symmetrical and standard, with different manufacturers adopting unique patterns. Many Bicycle playing cards, for instance, feature an image of Cupid riding a bike. This is known as the “Rider Back” card design.
Marked Card Backs
Some cards have marked backs that tell you exactly what’s on the front. You have to know where to look to find this information, though, as it’s usually hidden. Magicians and collectors often buy such decks designed or endorsed by magicians. David Blaine is a prime example and has produced some beautifully designed decks in association with the United States Playing Card Company (USPCC).
Special Edition Card Backs
Limited-edition card decks are popular among collectors. As with many other collections, they can vary in price and often increase in value when sought-after decks sell out.
Poker Card Backs With Hidden Messages/Designs
From backs with invisible ink that shows up under blacklight to ones that hint at various easter eggs, the backs of these cards are often more complex than the front. Such decks tend to be produced in small numbers and are popular among collectors.
Poker Card Back Design: Creating Your Own
With the advent of next-day custom printing services, it has never been easier to create your own poker card back design. The same goes for poker chips, although it’s just as easy to play poker without chips if you’re working on a budget or don’t have much time to plan.
But before you rush off to create your poker card back and print a few decks, remember a few things. Professional card printers will always consider these, but they might not occur to the average player:
Don’t Use Different Backs
Yes, it would be fun to give the royal cards a unique back, such as a throne or scepter, but it also means that every player knows what high cards you have. All cards should have the same back.
Distinctive from the Front
It should be obvious whether a card is the right way up or wrong way up. It sounds like a no-brainer—how similar could an Ace of Spades look to a patterned grid? But it must be so different that you can tell even as you’re rapidly flicking through the deck.
That way, you know immediately if a card is accidentally orientated incorrectly. If not, and you only realize when you deal, you’ll have to shuffle and try again, as that card must then be moved to the bottom of the deck, and everyone will know it is no longer in play.
Symmetrical Designs
Printing your initials or name on the back of the cards is a cool idea. You could also put the name of a special event to honor the occasion where the game will be played. However, this means the cards will always look different when they are upside down.
It probably doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it allows for a cheating technique known as edge sorting. It’s used in games where the cards aren’t shuffled. Players orientate the cards in a way that means all high-value cards face one way while low-value cards face another. Players who watch the cards being dealt know if the next one is low or high—useful information for games like baccarat.
Symmetrical Edges
Edge sorting isn’t as easy as looking for reverse text on monogrammed cards, as few professional card decks are designed that way. Instead, players look for asymmetry along the edges, which is surprisingly common. They will then take the high cards, re-orientate them, and gain an advantage.
Your opponents in home games probably won’t pull this trick, but it’s good to cover all bases. So, make sure the card edges look the same regardless of which way up they are.
Summary: Poker Card Back Designs
Now that you know more about the thought process of designing the backs of poker cards and the many designs and styles out there, you’ll hopefully appreciate them more the next time you play. And if your friend pulls out a fancy deck with an odd-looking design, remember that there could be some hidden messages in there, and the deck might be marked!
Poker Common Queries
What is the back of the card called?
The back of a playing card is the reverse, while the front is called the face.
What are the four suits of cards?
The four suits in a deck of French playing cards (the style commonly used throughout Europe and North America) include Hearts, Clubs, Spades, and Diamonds. There are other deck types, though, including German (Acorns, Bells, Leaves, and Hearts) and Spanish (Clubs, Coins, Swords, and Cups).
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